Nancy Krieger1, Jarvis T Chen, Brent Coull, Pamela D Waterman, Jason Beckfield. 1. Nancy Krieger, Jarvis T. Chen, and Pamela D. Waterman are with the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA. Brent Coull is with the Department of Biostatistics, Harvard School of Public Health. Jason Beckfield is with the Department of Sociology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: We explored associations between the abolition of Jim Crow laws (i.e., state laws legalizing racial discrimination overturned by the 1964 US Civil Rights Act) and birth cohort trends in infant death rates. METHODS: We analyzed 1959 to 2006 US Black and White infant death rates within and across sets of states (polities) with and without Jim Crow laws. RESULTS: Between 1965 and 1969, a unique convergence of Black infant death rates occurred across polities; in 1960 to 1964, the Black infant death rate was 1.19 times higher (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.18, 1.20) in the Jim Crow polity than in the non-Jim Crow polity, whereas in 1970 to 1974 the rate ratio shrank to and remained at approximately 1 (with the 95% CI including 1) until 2000, when it rose to 1.10 (95% CI = 1.08, 1.12). No such convergence occurred for Black-White differences in infant death rates or for White infants. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that abolition of Jim Crow laws affected US Black infant death rates and that valid analysis of societal determinants of health requires appropriate comparison groups.
OBJECTIVES: We explored associations between the abolition of Jim Crow laws (i.e., state laws legalizing racial discrimination overturned by the 1964 US Civil Rights Act) and birth cohort trends in infant death rates. METHODS: We analyzed 1959 to 2006 US Black and White infant death rates within and across sets of states (polities) with and without Jim Crow laws. RESULTS: Between 1965 and 1969, a unique convergence of Black infant death rates occurred across polities; in 1960 to 1964, the Black infant death rate was 1.19 times higher (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.18, 1.20) in the Jim Crow polity than in the non-Jim Crow polity, whereas in 1970 to 1974 the rate ratio shrank to and remained at approximately 1 (with the 95% CI including 1) until 2000, when it rose to 1.10 (95% CI = 1.08, 1.12). No such convergence occurred for Black-White differences in infant death rates or for White infants. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that abolition of Jim Crow laws affected US Black infant death rates and that valid analysis of societal determinants of health requires appropriate comparison groups.
Authors: Sam Harper; Nicholas B King; Stephen C Meersman; Marsha E Reichman; Nancy Breen; John Lynch Journal: Milbank Q Date: 2010-03 Impact factor: 4.911
Authors: Kenneth Keppel; Elsie Pamuk; John Lynch; Olivia Carter-Pokras; Vickie Mays; Jeffrey Pearcy; Victor Schoenbach; Joel S Weissman Journal: Vital Health Stat 2 Date: 2005-07
Authors: Sam Harper; John Lynch; Stephen C Meersman; Nancy Breen; William W Davis; Marsha E Reichman Journal: Am J Epidemiol Date: 2008-03-15 Impact factor: 4.897
Authors: Sarah McKetta; Mark L Hatzenbuehler; Charissa Pratt; Lisa Bates; Bruce G Link; Katherine M Keyes Journal: Ann Epidemiol Date: 2017-07-13 Impact factor: 3.797
Authors: Palmira Santos; Gitanjali Joglekar; Kristen Faughnan; Jennifer Darden; Ann Hendrich Journal: J Racial Ethn Health Disparities Date: 2019-11-25
Authors: Mark L Hatzenbuehler; Seth J Prins; Morgan Flake; Morgan Philbin; M Somjen Frazer; Daniel Hagen; Jennifer Hirsch Journal: Soc Sci Med Date: 2016-11-30 Impact factor: 4.634
Authors: Nancy Krieger; Mathew V Kiang; Anna Kosheleva; Pamela D Waterman; Jarvis T Chen; Jason Beckfield Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2015-02 Impact factor: 9.308
Authors: Roland J Thorpe; Ruth G Fesahazion; Lauren Parker; Tanganiyka Wilder; Ronica N Rooks; Janice V Bowie; Caryn N Bell; Sarah L Szanton; Thomas A LaVeist Journal: J Urban Health Date: 2016-10 Impact factor: 3.671